Spider-Man 2 Glitch Lets You Explore New York With Venom

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 tells the tale of two Spider-Men — Peter Parker and Miles Morales — as they team up to take down a host of baddies that pose a threat to New York. That means you get to play as both characters and switch between them on the fly. However, taking a look at the game trailers and all, we know that Venom is involved in the mix as well. So, what about the big bad symbiote? Is he playable too? 

• Note: Major Marvel’s Spider-Man spoilers ahead. Caution advised.

Venom has limited playability in Spider-Man 2, much to the fans’ disappointment. You cannot free-roam, nor can you even swing in the air with him, holding down the R2 button on the DualSense. It’s only possible to play as him briefly during the 26th main mission of the title’s campaign—Don’t Be Scared. That said, a new glitch changes that a little bit, and unlocks free-roam gameplay for Venom as we see it. 

Getting it right is a bit tricky, though, but doable all the same. As you break out of Oscorp Tower and come crashing down on Times Square, the fight continues on the streets of New York City. From there, ignore your enemies and head left, climb up the wall building you see, followed by going up on another wall. Once you reach the top, go right to break the invisible wall on the left, and then proceed in that direction. 

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That’s about it. Feel free to run around New York with Venom now. The footage above showcases that Venom has “interesting” swimming animations as well. As soon as you enter the water with him, you’ll swivel around your own axis point, but the animation will stop dead a while after. This could mean that Insomniac planned on making Venom free-roam playable, but later ditched the idea for something else.

The only downside of executing this glitch is, you put yourself at risk of breaking your entire save once you restart from the checkpoint. As per the video’s uploader, some players have reported that enemies will no longer spawn when you’re back on the route of the mission, and the subsequent boss fight with Kraven will also be glitched. Better use a different save within the game if you plan on going AWOL with Venom. 

On a side note, there’s another glitch that one player has discovered, and it reveals what becomes of Rhino in Spider-Man 2. Evidently, Aleksei is hunted down by Kraven and is collected as a mere trophy for his throne room. That also explains why the one-horned sprinter is missing from the sequel throughout, especially when most other villains and characters made their returns. 

Marvel’s Spider-Man came out on October 20, 2023, for the PlayStation as a first-party title. In eXputer’s review, Usama gave the game a 4/5, praising its captivating storytelling, terrific visuals, and tip-top accessibility features. If you’re just getting started with the game, here’s a guide on best Spider-Man 2 abilities for Peter and Miles to help you out.